Now, “Gangnam 1970,” in which the actor has his first-ever big screen lead role, has broken records at the box office as the first movie in 2015 to draw 2 million viewers. “Gangnam 1970” accomplished the feat within just 18 days of its release, showcasing Lee Min Ho’s clout as a top Hallyu star.

In an interview with News1, Lee Min Ho shared about why he waited until his late twenties to film a movie, “I received a flood of casting offers for movies after ‘Boys Over Flowers,’ but I always had the ambition to do [a movie] in my late 20s when I would be able to embody the weightiness [required] of the film genre.”

Through “Gangnam 1970,” Lee Min Ho was able to star alongside actor Kim Rae Won, whom he has named as his biggest role model since his debut. He said, “Kim Rae Wonhyung was in my first management agency. He was a sunbae who had this aura that made me happy just being able to see him. Even now, he’s a good hyung and sunbae to me. I think it is a great experience and privilege to be able to work with [Kim Rae Won] after all these years.”

The actor also addressed hearsay that the director of “Gangnam 1970,” renowned director Yoo Ha, is a perfectionist, “Director Yoo Ha? (Laughs). I heard that he is very detailed, but I never filmed a scene more than three times. I think it might also be because I prepared myself a lot mentally. [Director Yoo Ha] also cared for me a lot. I heard that this was one of the more easygoing [films] for [Director Yoo Ha].”

Meanwhile, “Gangnam 1970” was recently purchased by Chinese distributors at the highest price of any Korean film ever sold. The film, which is currently being edited for Chinese release, is set for a March premiere.